


Bros with Benefits

by supreme_genius



Category: Grimm (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-20
Updated: 2013-11-13
Packaged: 2017-12-15 13:03:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/849867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supreme_genius/pseuds/supreme_genius
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Monroe and Nick linger between friends and something more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Grimm.  
> I don't make money writing.  
> This is unbeta'd.

Nick runs as fast as his legs will go. He keeps his eye on Monroe, trying not to turn back, looking at what’s chasing them. His body hurts; he’s tired. The farther he runs, the more his thigh hurts. The blood is already seeping through the leg of his jeans. He does his best to push the pain to the back of his mind and just focus on the body in front of him.

Monroe just keeps going. He knows Nick’s still behind him without even looking. As he runs he just keeps hoping that Nick stays behind him, that he keeps up. When Nick’s truck is in sight, he reaches for that last little bit of energy and sprints ahead. Nick’s right behind him when he gets to the truck. Nick pants as he pulls out his keys, unlocks the truck, and they both get in. Without stopping for a deeper breath, Nick starts the truck and floors it, taking them as far from the woods as he can manage.

When it feels like they’re a safe enough distance away, they finally breathe. Nick drives around town for a while, making sure no one’s following them. Monroe, finally getting a good look at Nick, suggests they go home and tend to their wounds. Nick just shakes his head, wanting to make sure that they’ve successfully outrun whatever was chasing them. With a sigh, Monroe agrees that Nick has a point and then begins his plea for some food. Nick agrees and they hit the drive thru of the only place in town that has vegan-friendly fast food.

They stay in the truck, parked in the lot. Nick is on edge the entire time, constantly looking around. When they finish, Nick drives a few more circles around town. It’s when the pain in his leg gets to be too much that he finally heads home.

Between the bloodstains and the rips, Nick’s jeans are unsalvageable. His jacket needs a good soak, as do his boots. His t-shirt is a lost cause that joins his jeans in the trash. As for Monroe, his clothes are in slightly better shape. There’s a rip in his coat he knows he can fix. His jeans and boots are muddy; nothing a good, long soak won’t fix. He tosses his shirt, not feeling like scrubbing out the stains.

They poke and prod at each other, checking injuries and whatnot. Nick is worse for wear. There are already purple and blue bruises starting to cover his skin. There’s an especially gnarly-looking bruise on his side; he’d taken a pretty strong kick. There are some gashes on his shoulder and minor cuts and scrapes covering the rest of his body. Monroe offers to stitch up the gashes but Nick just shakes his head.

“They aren’t _that_ bad, Monroe. Just stick a bandage on them.”

Monroe shakes his head. He should really insist, but there’s no arguing with Nick. “Fine.” He’s careful as he cleans and bandages the cuts. Every time Nick winces, Monroe feels bad. “Ya know, if you’d have just let me handle it, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt as badly.”

“Then you would have gotten hurt.”

“You underestimate me, man.”

“You _over_ estimate you.” Nick sighs. “I know you think you’re some blutbad superhero, but you’re not invincible, Monroe.”

Monroe opens his mouth to speak, but just sighs instead. He resumes bandaging Nick’s cuts.

Then it’s Nick’s turn to patch up Monroe, who only bears a few cuts and bruises. There’s one in his thigh in need of a few stitches. Nick’s gotten better at stitching cuts in the last few months; his hands don’t shake anymore.

“I really hate patching you up, Monroe.”

“Damn.” Monroe stares at him. “Uh, sorry.”

“No. I didn’t mean it like that. I just mean…I hate that I _have_ to patch you up. I hate that you get hurt.”

“Oh,” Monroe says softly, quietly. He’s not quite sure how to respond.

Nick takes a deep breath and takes a few steps back. “Uh, alright. I think you’re good to go. I’m just gonna go…put clothes on.” He walks out of the room without waiting for an answer.

Nick hides in his room for a while – an hour. When he finally comes out, Monroe’s already in bed. He could really go for a beer, but he’s learned that it’s a bad idea to mix the painkillers that Monroe gives him with alcohol.

Not content with the earlier conversation, he knocks on Monroe’s door.

“Come in,” Monroe calls from behind the door, not feeling like getting up.

“Hey,” Nick says rather timidly as he lingers in the doorway.

“You can sit down, man.” Monroe gestures towards his bed.

Nick nods and sits on the edge.

“You alright?”

Nick just shakes his head. He finally lets go of all his reservations; he turns and wraps his arms around Monroe. He doesn’t care that it feels weird or that there’s the chance that Monroe could bite him. Monroe’s caught a bit off guard but he hugs back. He knows that something has to be really wrong with Nick for him to be like this. He hears Nick sniffle, so he wraps his arms a little more tightly around him.

Monroe suggests that Nick sleep there tonight, to which Nick just nods. They wiggle around – without ever letting go of each other – until they’re comfortable and lying down. It’s a bit weird – the two of them curled up with each other but with all the hardship the two of them have endured together, it’s really no surprise that they’ve gotten this close. When Nick needs to be cheered up or comforted, when he needs a laugh or a smile, Monroe is the guy he goes to. Even before the Nick/Juliette break-up saga. Nick probably would have taken things so much harder had he not had Monroe in his life. When Nick can barely stand – emotionally or physically – Monroe has become his crutch to lean on.

 _You shouldn’t be here. You shouldn’t be doing this._ Nick knows that maybe he should just get up and go back to his room. He knows that if he stays here, curled up with Monroe, that there’s a line that’s being crossed. But Nick stays. Because he wants to cross that line, along with another line that isn’t too far down the road. He squeezes just a little tighter, wiggles just a little closer. He nuzzles the crook of Monroe’s neck. Nick is surprised when Monroe leans into it and makes a little happy growling sound.

Monroe silently panics, knowing he just crossed a line. Sure, it’s a line he’s been wanting to cross, but only if Nick wants that too. _Maybe he does_. Monroe sighs and just keeps his arms wrapped tightly around Nick. It’s not long before the two of them fall asleep. They both sleep surprisingly well, never straying too far from each other.

Monroe is the first to wake up, just as the sun starts creeping through the curtains. One look at Nick, who’s sound asleep, and he decides to skip pilates. He spends the next hour in and out of a light doze, until Nick starts wiggling around. It takes Nick a minute to realize where he is. He smiles up at Monroe.

“Morning.”

Monroe smiles. “Morning.”

Nick slowly sits up.

“You sleep okay?”

“Yeah.” He rubs the back of his neck. “Monroe…about last night…”

“It’s okay, man.”

Nick just nods. “Okay, yeah, uh…I’m just gonna go shower.”

“You want pancakes or something?”

“Sure.” Nick gives a small smile before leaving the room.

As Nick makes his way downstairs he can already smell the pancakes.  When Nick walks into the kitchen, Monroe’s flipping the pancakes onto a tray. Nick grabs the butter and syrup and sets the table. They each pour themselves a mug of coffee and fix it up before sitting down. Monroe’s half way through his first pancake when Nick finally speaks.

“We should probably talk about last night.”

“I told you it wasn’t a big deal. So, you needed a little comfort. That’s fine. You’re my best friend; I can give you a little comfort if you need it. That’s what I’m here for.”

“That’s the thing, Monroe. Yeah, I needed comfort…”

“But…?”

“But I also wanted a little more.”

Monroe raises an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

Nick sighs, not really sure how to properly word his thoughts. “Well, I want to cuddle and I might want to kiss. I want to come home after working a double and crawl in bed with you. I need someone to be close with…and I kinda want that person to be you.”

“Oh. Okay. Wow.” Monroe takes a quick sip of his coffee. “We can do that.”

“Wait, really?”

“Yeah. I’d actually kind of like that.” He smiles.

“Should we, uh, make rules or something?”

“Probably.” He pauses to think. “There might be some nights that I’ll want to be by myself. I’ll let you know.”

“Blutbad stuff?”

“Yeah.” Monroe nods.

“Gotcha.”

“Let’s keep the _I’m-leaving-for-work_ and _honey-I’m-home_ kisses to a minimum. No pet names, no _honey_ , _sweetie_ , _baby_ , stuff like that. No hand holding. No PDA. In public we’re still just friends.”

“Sounds good. So, say I’m dealing with an intense case. I’ve got no leads; Hank and I hit a dead end. I come home and you’re sitting on the sofa. Normally, I’d plop down on the other end and try talking over the case with you.” Nick pauses to make sure Monroe’s following. “Can I curl up next to you to talk it over?”

“Sure.”

“Okay.”

“If any feelings change, if something ever feels wrong, or you want to change something, just say so and we’ll talk about it.”

“Same with you.”

“Deal.”

\---

It’s not until after ten at night that Nick finally walks in the door. He and Hank finally wrapped up their grueling case; they’d gotten the confession they needed after three weeks. Nick’s entire body hurt from the lack of rest. His head was pounding and was thankful that there were very few lights on. He was glad to finally kick off his boots and hang up his coat.

He almost walked right passed the sofa, expecting Monroe to be upstairs in bed. However, he was asleep on the sofa, sitting in what looks to be a horrendously uncomfortable position. He frowns looking at the angry expression on Monroe’s face. He crouches down beside the sofa, lays a light hand on Monroe’s shoulder, and gives him a shake.

Monroe jumps as his eyes pop open. When he sees Nick, he calms down. He rubs his eyes and yawns. Nick just grabs his hand and pulls him up. They don’t say anything; they don’t need to. Nick leads Monroe upstairs and into the bedroom. Monroe crawls in and pulls the blankets up. Nick leans over, but quickly retreats when he remembers their rules about cute kisses. Nick just lets his hand linger on Monroe’s shoulder before taking a step away. Monroe is quick to turn and grab Nick’s arm. With a little smile, Nick pulls off his shirt and jeans and slips into bed, curling up against Monroe’s chest.

They’ve been doing this for almost two months. They’re both getting exactly what they need – a companion. Monroe doesn’t want the chaos of a relationship. He isn’t good at the whole wooing thing. He didn’t really understand relationships; they’ve always baffled him. Nick doesn’t want to date. He hates dating. But he likes what he has with Monroe, likes the relaxed feeling of it.

But then, little by little, kissing gets integrated into their arrangement. At first it’s short, sweet kisses – _goodnight_ , _see you after work_ , etc. Then it gets more intense – _I’m glad you’re okay don’t ever do that again they could have killed you_. And then they started kissing just because they can.

It’s another four months before something changes. Nick had thought this was the perfect arrangement. He’d been getting everything he’d wanted out of a relationship without having to actually be in a relationship. But he can’t help but want more. It had nothing to do with physically wanting more, per se. Mostly it’s just that he wants more _with Monroe._ He was starting to get feelings for his friend and they were getting hard to ignore. When he was curled up in bed with him, he kept wanting more, to go further. As time goes on, he finds himself more and more attracted to that clock-making blutbad he called his best friend.

He can feel it in deep in his bones. Some days it aches; today is one of those days. He watches as Monroe gets ready for his clock makers conference dinner. Nick had asked if he needed a date, but it was strictly for clock makers only. Oh, Nick had said rather disappointedly. Monroe looks so unsure of himself. He just keeps pacing back and forth across the room, fiddling with his suit.  Finally, Nick stands up and steps in front of him.

“You look great, Monroe.”

“Maybe I should wear a regular tie. Maybe a bow tie is too much.” Monroe starts to loosen his tie.

“No.” Nick reaches out, tightening and straightening the tie. “The bow tie is perfect.” Nick lets his hands drop to the lapels of Monroe’s suit coat. He tells himself he’s just smoothing out the wrinkles – ones that don’t actually exist – but he lets his fingers linger at Monroe’s chest a little too long. When he pulls away, he looks up at Monroe with sad grey eyes. If Monroe weren’t so distracted, he might notice. Nick is hopelessly in love with the man standing in front of him, but there’s nothing he can do.

“Alright, so I’ll be home late. Don’t wait up. I made you some dinner; it’s already in the microwave.”

“Thanks.”

“You look tired, you should try and go to bed early tonight.”

“Yeah, sure,” Nick says, sadder.

“I’ll see you later.” Monroe grabs his coat and keys and heads out the door. 


	2. Chapter 2

➴

Nick spends the night moping around the house. There is almost always a bottle of beer in his hand; he hates to admit it, but that’s how he has been coping with all his problems lately. He wouldn’t really care if it weren’t for the look that Monroe gives him each time he opens another beer. Mostly it’s disappointment; he knows that kind of look well. But it’s also sadness and _I want to make you feel better but I don’t know how_. Nick drinks until it doesn’t hurt and then he lets himself pass out. When he wakes up in the morning, he swears he’ll never do it again. But he does. Not every night, but still too many nights.

Tonight is different than those nights. Tonight he doesn’t have that look from Monroe. In a way, that hurts more. Tonight Monroe isn’t there to say “I think you’ve had enough” or “At least you’ve still got me.” The latter one always gets to Nick. He doesn’t want Monroe thinking he’s just some consolation prize. Nick really is lucky to have Monroe and he knows it. But he can’t quite figure out how to tell Monroe just how thankful he is that they’re friends. Nick knows he isn’t the best friend, that he’s nowhere near as good of a friend as Monroe is.

Tonight it takes four beers to dull the pain. Nick’s lying on the sofa, considering a fifth. He can’t stop wishing that Monroe would just get home already and give him that look. He needs that look. It’s almost eleven when Nick finally gets up and grabs another beer. On his way back to the sofa, he trips over his own feet.

“You’re such a lightweight.” Monroe hangs up his coat and eyes the drunk Grimm.

Nick hadn’t even heard Monroe come in. “No ‘m not,” Nick slurs.

“Whatever you say, man. Come on, let’s get you to bed.” Monroe takes the bottle from Nick – who willingly gives it up – and sets it on the coffee table.

Monroe wraps an arm around Nick and helps him up the stairs. The first time Monroe had shooed a drunken Nick up the stairs it didn’t end well. Nick fell and even though he didn’t feel it at the time, he woke up bruised and so sore he took the day off from work. When they make it into Nick’s room, Nick just falls over into the bed.

“How many did you have, Nick?”

“Dunno.”

Monroe shakes his head. “I can’t even leave you alone for a couple hours.”

“Sorry, M’ro.”

Monroe tugs the blanket out from underneath Nick and covers him up. “What’s going on with you, Nick?” When he doesn’t get an answer, Monroe realizes Nick is fast asleep. “That didn’t take long.” He shakes his head once again and sighs. “You can’t keep doing this to yourself. Damn it, Nick. I wish you’d just talk to me. Let me help.” He balls his hands into fists. “I can’t watch you do this to yourself anymore.” Unable to keep looking at his drunken, passed-out friend, Monroe walks out.

Sleep doesn’t come easy for Monroe tonight. He can’t help but keep worrying about Nick. He has no idea how to help even though that’s all he wants to do. Sometimes he wonders why he let Nick into his life. Sure, he had been reluctant at first, hadn’t exactly dusted off the welcome mat. But he hadn’t really been too closed off either. Monroe had been willing, albeit begrudgingly, to help Nick in his trials as a Grimm. But as time progressed and they got to know each other, Monroe had actually been glad he let Nick in. Monroe hadn’t realized just how lonely he was until he realized how much he actually needed Nick.

It is just after four in the morning when Monroe finally quits trying to get any decent sleep. He rolls out of bed and changes into his pilates clothes. With a sigh, he heads downstairs and begins his daily work-out routine. He works out until his body aches and then keeps going. After two solid hours, his shirt is soaked in sweat and he can barely move his legs. He just lays there, still on the pilates machine; he’s quite a pathetic sight.

Nick is lying in bed. He’s in some foggy place between sleep and reality. He vaguely remembers Monroe helping him upstairs last night; at least he thinks it was last night. Nick doesn’t dwell on it much, mostly because it’s making his head throb with pain. He pulls the blanket up over his head and hides from the sun that’s starting to peak through the window.

He soon starts to fall back asleep but it’s in vain, as he can hear Monroe climb the stairs. Each footstep hits his ears like a sledgehammer and makes him wince. Monroe hesitates at the top of the stairs, debating whether or not he should check on Nick. He decides he probably should. He’s careful as he opens the door, trying to make as little noise as possible. He finds Nick wrapped up in a blanket cocoon. Despite the numerous times Nick has woken him up, Monroe refuses to ever wake up Nick unnecessarily. Nick is a cop and a Grimm, and has insomnia; Monroe isn’t going to deprive him of even the least bit of sleep, even if it is alcohol-induced. But then the lump in the middle of the bed, buried beneath layer upon layer of blankets, starts moving.

“M’ro?”

Monroe walks over to the bed and gently tugs the blankets away from what he thinks is Nick’s head, and reveals a pair of squinty grey eyes. “Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”

Nick mumbles something that Monroe knows is a string of profanity.

“You want some orange juice and toast?”

“Please.” Nick looks over to the clock. “Shit,” he grumbles and hides his face in the pillow.

“Don’t worry, I called Renard an hour ago and told him you weren’t feeling well, that I was pretty sure it was just one of those 24-hour bugs, and you’d be back tomorrow.”

Nick lifts his face from the pillow and looks up at Monroe. “Thanks.”

Monroe heads back downstairs and whips up some toast and pours a glass of orange juice. He finally takes notice of the empty bottles lined up on the counter near the sink; there are four. He remembers the one he took from Nick and put on the coffee table; that makes five. He sighs and takes some breakfast upstairs. He lingers as Nick finally sits up and nibbles his toast.

Nick furrows his brow, tilting his head a bit. “You alright, Monroe?”

“Not really.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m worried about you.”

“What? Why?”

“You’ve been drinking…a lot. Now, I’m not saying it’s a problem. I just…I don’t think it’s a good way to cope.”

Nick’s only answer is the angry look his face twists into.

“Please don’t give me that look, Nick. I don’t care that you’re drinking yourself into oblivion here and there.”

“Wow.”

“No. Shit. I’m sorry. Fuck.” Monroe wants to bang his head against the wall. He was never really all that good with words and this situation was helping to prove just that. He sighs and sits down on the edge of the bed. “I care about you. You’re my best friend. If you want to drink to cope with things, that’s fine. I just…I care, okay? I want you to know that. If you need someone to talk to, _please_ come to me. Or go to Hank or Rosalee or someone. I just don’t want to see you do anything stupid.”

Nick is still angry, but he understands. He knows he’s been stupid about how he chooses to cope. He knows he should talk about how he feels. But it’s embarrassing. Honestly, he was used to keeping things to himself. He never had any real problems while his parents were alive. Marie couldn’t be bothered with feelings and emotions. He and Juliette weren’t exactly the type of couple that really talked about emotions that didn’t directly deal with their relationship; Juliette preferred her friends for that. Nick didn’t want to pester Hank. And Monroe, well, Nick knew that Monroe put up with enough of his crap, he wasn’t going to add his feelings into the mix.

“Has it really been that noticeable?”

Monroe shrugs. “I don’t think anyone else besides me has noticed, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Nick nods. “I’m sorry.”

“I think you need to apologize to your liver, not me.” Monroe sighs. “I just…tell me how to help, man. I want you to be okay.”

“I wish I knew. Some days, it’s just too hard to deal with everything. Some days, I feel like my entire life is falling apart. The only good thing I’ve got is you…not that there’s anything wrong with that. In a weird, _Odd Couple_ -type way, I’m actually glad that I come home to you every night. You’re a constant for me, Monroe. You’re something to hold on to, as cheesy as that may sound. And I l–” Nick panics and stammers.

“I know.” Monroe’s cheeks turn a shade of red that almost matches the blush of Nick’s cheeks. “And, uh, me too.”


End file.
